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Pasadena Police shooting of unarmed man raises tensions

by Patt Morrison

In this undated family photo Kendrec McDade, then a high school student, is seen wearing his Aztecs Football team uniform. McDade was shot by police after being chased and making a move, reaching into his waistband, according to police. The police were chasing McDade, believing him to be one of two thieves who had just robbed Oscar Carrillo, who had told police that McDade was armed.McDade Family File Photo/AP

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The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office hasn't said yet whether they'll be charging Oscar Carrillo, 26, the man who lied in a 911 call about a thief having a gun. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) wants to talk to him; they’ve requested an immigration hold because he is believed to be in the United States illegally. They can hold him indefinitely, but if the DA's office plans to charge him, they must do so before he is deported.

Kendrec McDade, 19, was fatally shot March 24 by Pasadena police Officers Jeffrey Newlen and Mathew Griffin after Carrillo lied about McDade being armed with a gun. Newlen and Griffin have been placed on paid leave pending the investigation. Some immigrant rights activists are upset that Carrillo, who alleges he was the victim of a crime, could now face deportation for alerting police.

Carrillo has since admitted that he lied about the gun, but the incident has unearthed racial tensions in the Pasadena community over the police department’s relationship to the African American and immigrant communities.

Patt runs through a case study in 911 and police protocol.

WEIGH IN:

How commonplace is it for 911 callers to exaggerate and how are police trained to anticipate that? What message does Carrillo’s immigration hold send to the undocumented community? And what crime, if any, should he be charge with?

Guests:

Joe Domanick, associate director of the Center on the Media, Crime & Justice at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York; currently writing a book about the LAPD from the 1992 riots to the present.

Stan Goldman, professor of criminal law and criminal procedure Loyola Law School

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About Patt Morrison

Patt Morrison is a live two-hour public affairs show. The program is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, and for its presentation of national and world news as it affects Southern California.